1995 Mustang IHRA Drag Car - Girls Can 2!

Now She's "Hopelessly Hooked."

Don Roy

August 1, 2006

Photos By:
Jerry Heasley

Up front, an Anthony Jones Engineering tubular K-member helps keep the sharp end light and launches straight, in concert with D&D's A-arms and coilover conversion. Lakewood Industries' 90/10 front struts complement the Mustang's stock rear shocks, helping to keep the Mickey Thompson rubber on the ground. Those 29.5 x 10.5-inch ET Drags at the back, coupled with ET Fronts and mounted on 15-inch Weld rims mean that this is no Mickey Mouse setup.Inside the car, things are strictly business. According to Michele, keeping the weight under control was one of the biggest challenges. After adding an 8-point cage, relocating the battery to the trunk where the fuel cell lives, a minimal racing seat was installed, along with an assortment of Auto Meter and Ford Racing gauges. After that work was completed, anything that wasn't absolutely necessary and wasn't welded to the chassis, was removed. The stark interior is a perfect example of the Bauhaus 'form follows function' approach, with not a hint of unneeded 'bling' in sight. Still, that kind of ruthless work has it's own reward. This Pony weighs in at just under 3,000 pounds in full trim.

After that bad boy engine was dropped into Michele's Pony, the hood didn't close the way it should anymore, so a 4-inch fiberglass cowl hood was used to provide the needed clearance. To complete the exterior modifications, an SVT Cobra front bumper fascia was added. At this point, the car was shipped out to the body shop for its custom paint job. Consisting of a Panther Pink base and four coats of Cadillac White Pearl, there is no mistaking this car for a factory finish when it is sitting in the staging lanes at San Antonio. "Most of our friends weren't too sure about my color choice. I wanted it to stand out in a 'sea of Mustangs'," commented Michele on the topic. We'd have to say that her mission was well accomplished.

Now, Michele had already had a good degree of success before the engine change. She was on the IHRA Division 4 bracket finals championship team in 2004 - an accomplishment she repeated again last year. In 2005, she placed 13th out of 45 participants in the San Antonio Raceway points series, as well as 4th in the Summit Racing Superseries at San Antonio. For this season, Michele will concentrate on results and is hoping to get a top ten placement. If there is any prize money to come her way this year, it will be put aside for future mods. Certainly, a nitrous system could be in the plans, if the price is right.

Michele is grateful to the long list of folks that have helped her along the way. When asked, she outlined them for us: "My hubby Chris Kato and my wonderful kids, Amber and Stephen. Others: Performance Crankshaft, Mark G's Heads, Harry's Powerglides, B&B Performance, Alamo Performance, Austin Area Stangs, the owners and staff of San Antonio Raceway, Phil Rossi, Mark Brown, Bob Meyer and Big Block Fox, John Albarado, Randy Jones, and the rest of the gang at SAR... too many?" No way. Not too many at all, Michele. You can never have too many friends that are willing to chip in on a project like this.